Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

The components of regulatory assets shown on the consolidated balance sheets of PSCo at Dec. 31, 2013 and 2012 were:



(Thousands of Dollars)	See Note(s)	Remaining Amortization Period	Dec. 31, 2013				Dec. 31, 2012
Regulatory Assets			Current		Noncurrent		Current		Noncurrent
Pension and retiree medical obligations ^(a)	8	Various	$	45,504	$	447,752	$	38,219	$	613,391
Recoverable deferred taxes on AFUDC recorded in plant	1	Plant lives	—		116,477		—		100,060
Contract valuation adjustments ^(b)	10	Term of related contract	3,620		16,474		3,763		20,094
Depreciation differences	1	One to seventeen years	10,917		95,844		5,274		50,057
Net AROs^(c)	1, 12	Plant lives	—		39,986		—		40,184
Conservation programs ^(d)	1, 11	One to five years	13,883		19,430		16,887		28,528
Gas pipeline inspection costs	12	One to four years	5,416		14,978		5,416		15,220
Renewable resources and environmental initiatives	12	One to two years	22,325		—		42,647		1,807
Purchased power contract costs	12	Term of related contract	—		30,069		—		28,164
Losses on reacquired debt	4	Term of related debt	1,572		9,804		1,964		11,376
Recoverable purchased natural gas and electric energy costs	1	Less than one year	18,022		—		15,007		—
Property tax		One to three years	18,427		30,626		6,005		12,010
Other		Various	10,477		4,597		8,507		13,837
Total regulatory assets			$	150,163	$	826,037	$	143,689	$	934,728


^(a)	Includes $4.1 million and $4.4 million of regulatory assets related to the nonqualified pension plan, of which $0.4 million is included in the current asset at Dec. 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.


^(b)	Includes the fair value of certain long-term PPAs used to meet energy capacity requirements and valuation adjustments on natural gas commodity purchases.


^(c)	Includes amounts recorded for future recovery of AROs.


^(d)	Includes costs for conservation programs, as well as incentives allowed in certain jurisdictions.

The components of regulatory liabilities shown on the consolidated balance sheets of PSCo at Dec. 31, 2013 and 2012 were:



(Thousands of Dollars)	See Note(s)	Remaining Amortization Period	Dec. 31, 2013				Dec. 31, 2012
Regulatory Liabilities			Current		Noncurrent		Current		Noncurrent
Plant removal costs	1, 12	Plant lives	$	—	$	359,387	$	—	$	365,331
Deferred electric, gas and steam production costs	1	Less than one year	33,247		—		22,022		—
Investment tax credit deferrals	1, 7	Various	—		24,038		—		25,790
Deferred income tax adjustment	1	Various	—		18,770		—		20,218
Conservation programs ^(a)	1, 11	Less than one year	12,188		—		2,522		—
Renewable resources and environmental initiatives	11, 12	Various	—		1,412		—		1,412
Low income discount program		Less than one year	4,084		—		4,205		—
Gain from asset sales		One to three years	1,687		368		2,414		2,039
PSCo earnings test	11	One to two years	22,892		19,203		1,732		1,732
Other		Various	5,401		1,512		828		882
Total regulatory liabilities			$	79,499	$	424,690	$	33,723	$	417,404


^(a)	Includes costs for conservation programs, as well as incentives allowed in certain jurisdictions.